Metal railway-tie



I (No Model.) 3 Sheets-+Sheet' 1. A. E. ROBERTS.

- METAL RAILWAY TIE.

No. 517,302. Patented Mar. 27, 1894.

(No Model.) 3 -SheetsSheet 2.

A. E. ROBERTS.

METAL RAILWAY TIE.

No. 517,302. Patented- Mar. 27, 1894.

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A. E.- ROBERTS.

. METAL RAILWAY TIE. No. 517,302. Patented Mar. 27, 1894.

.STATES ATENT ALBERT E. ROBERTS,

or NORWALK, 01110.

M ETAL RAI LWAY-Tl E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 517,302, dated March27, 1894.

Application filed April 22, 1893.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALBERT E. ROBERTS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Norwalk, county of Huron, State of Ohio, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Metal Railway-Ties, of which thefollowing is a specification.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference letters indicatelike or corresponding parts:Figure 1, is a perspective View of myimproved seat-block in use. Fig. 2, is a top plan of a metallic railwaytie showing the manner of operating my improved seat-block. Fig. 3, is aside elevation of the same. Fig. 4, is a vertical section in line 4t4 ofFig. 3, looking to the left. Fig. 5, is a horizontal section in line 5-5of Fig. 3. Fig. 6, is a top plan of a modified form of my improvementshowing the rail in position. Figs. 7, 8, 9, 13, and 14., aremodifications adapted to use spikes. Figs. 10 and 11, show myimprovement in use at rail-joints. Fig. 12, is a tie with oblongbolt-holes, and Fig. 15, is the bolt designed for use upon the same.

In Letters Patent No. 494,029, granted me the 21st day of March, 1893,for an improved metallic railway-tie, I described and illustrated a L|-shaped tie having a rectangular block fitted into it as a seat for therail. My present invention is an improvement on that construction,designed to facilitate the connection of the rails to the ties and tostiffen and strengthen the connected structure as a whole.

My improvements consist, first, in so constructing and arranging aseat-block within the vertical walls of a L shaped metallic tie, that itmay be partially turned on its vertical axis, within the tie, tofacilitate the insertion and removal of the rails; secondly, inproviding the said seat-block .with two or more projections adapted tolook over the opposite edges of the rail-flange when the rail is inplace and thereby lock the rail down upon the tie; thirdly, in providingsaid revoluble seat-block with a serrated or undulated flange adapted toengage with a similar part upon the tie to prevent displacement and toprevent the seat-block being turned except when slightly lifted, or thevertical sides of the tie are slightly spread, to enable the serrationsor undulations to clear each other;

Serial No. 471,488. (No model.)

and fourthly, in providing in said revoluble seat-block, spike-holes ofa peculiar form adapted for the reception of spikes to hold the abuttingends of the rails or to lock the rails in addition to the lock effectedby said projections.

In the drawings A represents the l lshaped tie, B, the seat-block, G,the rail, and D, a transverse bolt extending horizontally through theseat-block and sides of the tie, to secure the seat-block to the tie andprevent it turning when in use, said bolt being provided with a head atone end and a screwnut at the other to keep the seat-block in place andprevent the walls of the tie spreadlng. 7

My first improvement consists in so constructing the seat-block B, thatupon the removal of the bolt D, it can be turned partially around itsvertical axis without removing it from between the walls of the tie. Tothis end two diagonally opposite corners of the seat-block are roundedto a quarter circle, thereby enabling the block to be turned in its seatto the extent of ninety degrees in one direction, and then turned backto its proper position without removing it from said seat. The twodiagonal corners which are not rounded afiord a sufficiently large andfirm base for the support of two locking projections b 19 formed on theupper surface of the block for the purpose of engaging with the flangesof the rail and locking the rail upon the seat-block. These projectionsare inclined inward over the rail-flange, as shown in the drawings, thelarger projection coming at the outer side of the rail, and, preferably,being so shaped as to fit against the web and-under side of the tread,thereby acting as a chair for the support of the rail against outwardthrusts. It is obvious that a circular seat-block may be used ifpreferred, but in such case there is no satisfactory bearing for theprojections b, b and the turning of the seat-block might not release therail. Spikes might be used, however, in place of said projections, andone or more spikes be withdrawn to release the rail.

In practice the seat-block is constructed of malleable iron, or steel,and if at any time the rail becomes loosened, a sharp blow upon theprojections b b will set them tightly upon the rail-flange, thus firmlysecuring the rail again.

A further improvement consists in forming the serrated or undulated partb in the seatblock and the corresponding part a in the walls of the tie.This may be done upon one side only of the seat-block and rail, or onboth sides, as desired. These parts fit or mesh together and aid infirmly securing the structure. They also allow the seat-block to beadjusted longitudinally outward and thus widen the gage of the curves.To adapt the bolt D, to permit this slight adjustability, I make theholes a a in the tie oval or oblong, as shown in Fig. 12, and I preferto use abolt with a shoulder (1 upon one side, as shown in Fig. 15. Inthis form, the bolt may be turned, bringing the shoulder (Z on one side,or the other, filling the oval bolt -hole, and thus slightly moving theseat-block for the purpose named. (See Fig. 12.) In such case theserrations in the block mesh with the next succeeding set in thecorresponding part of the tie, backward or forward as the case may be.This function may also be accomplished by making the bolt-hole throughthe seat-block oblong, using, if desired, circular bushings to fill upthe unoccupied part of the bolt-hole. But unless it is desired to widenthe gage,a plain hole in both tie and block and an ordinary bolt orrivet may be used, as first described.

Another improvement consists in the use of spikes E, to attach the railto the seatblock or to combine with the action of the projections 11' bfor that purpose. When it is designed to use spikes, I construct theseatblock B with spike-holes 1) formed therein. The spike-holes are soformed that when the spike is driven and conforms to the hole it is bentto form three friction contacts with the block (see Figs. 9, 13, and14), one bend and contact point is at e, one at e, and one at e. Thesebends prevent the accidental pulling of the spike and serve to hold thehead of the spike tightly against the flange of the rail. The seat-blockin this form is constructed with openings c, extending from the outsideof the block to the spike-holes, as shown in Figs. 13 and 14, and incase the head should be broken off, the spike can be readily cut with aproper tool through such openings and the spike thereby be easilyremoved. The pulling of the spike does not materially injure it and itmay be used again.

I am aware that seat-blocks have been made in which spike-holes areconstructed in such a way that in driving the spikeit isbent, and alsothat, in some cases, the lower or pointed end is given a partial turn ortwist, and I do not claim such construction, neither do I claim aseat-block in which the spike is driven slantingly or inclined and theend turned down.

The mode of operation is as followsz-The tie is first set and theseat-block placed loosely therein, in the position shown in dotted linesin Fig. 2. The rail is then placedin position and the seat-block isturned causing the pro jections b b to approach the rail and,fittingclosely over the rail-flange, to secure it to the seat-block. The boltis then adjusted, thus securing the whole structure. In removing a railthe operation is reversed, and an entire rail may be quickly removed andreplaced by another without disturbing the ties or the other rails.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1*.--In a device of the kind described, ametallic shaped tie, havingbolt-holes opposite one another in the sides of the same,and a boltadapted to extend horizontally across the tie and through saidbolt-holes; in combination with a metallic seat-block adapted to fitinto the tie, and so formed as to permit of being revolved on itsvertical axis within said tie; a horizontal bolt-hole extending throughthe seat-block in line with the boltholes in the tie, adapted to receivethe tiebolt; and means for securing the rail to the seat-block;substantially as described.

2. In a device of the kind described, a me- 7 tallic L ]-shaped tie,having formed in the Walls thereof bolt-holes opposite one another, anda bolt adapted to extend horizontally across the tie and through saidbolt-holes; in combination with a metallic seat-block, adapted to fitwithin the sides of the tie, said scatblock being rectangular with twodiagonally opposite corners rounded or cut away; a horizontal bolt-holeadapted to receive the tiebolt, extending through the seat-block in linewith the bolt-holes in the tie; and means for securing the rail to theseat-block; substantially as described.

3. In a device of the kind described, a metallic l J-shapedtie,havingbolt-holes formed in the sides thereof, opposite one another;and a bolt adapted to extend through said bolt-holes and horizontallyacross the tie; in combination with a metallic seat-block, adapted tofit within the sides of the tie, said seatblock being rectangular withtwo diagonally opposite corners rounded or cut away; abolthole adaptedto receive the tie-bolt extending horizontally through the seat-block inline with the bolt-holes in the tie; and projections on the squarecorners of the seat-block adapted to secure the rail to the seat-block,whereby revolving the seat-block on its axis to its working positionwill cause the projections to approach the vertical plane of the rail onopposite sides and secure it to the seat-block; substantially asdescribed.

4-. In a device of the kind described, the l ]-shaped metallic tie, thebolt-holes in its sides, and the tie-bolt; in combination with theherein described seat-block, the horizontal bolt-hole therein, theprojections on the seat-block to secure the rail thereto, spikeholes inthe seat-block, and spikes adapted to be driven in said spike-holes;whereby the rail is secured to the seat-block by means of theprojections and the spikes; substantially as described.

5. In a device of the kind described, the shaped metallic tie, thebolt-holes in its sides, a serrated or undulated part on one or both ofthe sides of the tie at points where the seat-blocks are placed, and atie-bolt to secure the seat-block to the tie, in combination with theherein described seat-block, serrations or undulations corresponding tothe similar part upon the tie adapted to act therewith, the horizontalbolt-hole in the block, and means for securing the rail to theseat-block; substantially as described.

6. In a device of the kind described, the herein described seat-block,having the horizontal bolt-hole, and means for securing the rail to theseat-block; in combination with the tie, elongated or oblong bolt-holesin the sides of the same, and a bolt having upon one side, near thehead, a shoulder adapted to fit bolt-holes, whereby upon into saidoblong turning the shouldered side of the bolt from one side to theother, the bolt is caused to change its lateral position, and thusslightly adjust the seat-block longitudinally 1n 1ts seat; substantiallyas and for the purposes described.

. 7. In a device of the kind described, a seatblock; a serrated orirregular part upon the same adapted to engage with a similar part uponthe tie; and means for securing the ra11 to the seat-block; incombination with the tie; a serrated or irregular part on the same; andwith bolt holes formed in the seat-block and tie in such manner that theseat-block may be adjusted longitudinally within the tie and a boltpassing through both the parts will firmly secure them together;substantially as 0 and for the purposes set forth.

' ALBERT E. ROBERTS.

Witnesses:

J. W. HILL, W. M. HILL.

